Week 1 Recap Texans at Colts

With the start of the season brings high hopes for every team, the Texans and Colts both came into week 1 with great expectations but a nervousness of not knowing a divisional opponent. The Colts are coming into the season with Luck at the helm (coming off missing 10 weeks last season from injury) and hoping he can bring the rag tag group of skill players together to make a strong push at the playoffs. The Colts defense has had a massive overhaul putting some faith in a number of young guys while also relying on some vet leadership provided by CB. Davis, MLB Jackson, and newly acquired aged strongman work horse dlineman Justin Smith.

The game started out with a long kickoff return for the Texans and on the next play struck for a long passing TD (which would be a pattern for the day as Alexander ended the day with 4 receptions all ending with TDs totaling 169 yards). Neither teams running backs could get going against the front 7s despite a total of 36 carries and 3 Tds between Arian and Trent. With the presence of stout run D from both sides the teams knew that this would be a shootout and that we got. Texans QB Dallas Witten was 14/22 for 360 with 5 tds and 2 ints while Luck was 26/37 for 384 2 tds and 1 int.

the Texans went into the half with a 14 point lead after a shanked punt by Andy Lee with 1:15 left in the half that gave the Texans the ball in plus territory. On a 3rd down with 35 seconds left Witten hit Alexander in the seam for another TD just over the out stretched arms of the rookie FS Rowland (who ended the day with 3 tackles) for the 14 point lead. The Colts were getting the ball to start the 3rd qtr but had 3 timeouts left and wanted to try and get some points before the end of the half. Driving for a score with 10 seconds left in the half, Luck threw a fade to T.Y. Hilton in the corner of the endzone and Reggie Nelson made a great play on the ball for the interception.

Late in the 4th down 3 the Colts drove the ball down the field ending with another rushing TD by Trent to take the lead bu 4 but with more than 2 minutes left for the Texans to put something together. After another decent kick return to almost mid field they were set up for a great ending. Witten was perfect on the drive that lasted only 1 minute and 20 seconds ending with a 2 yard scamper by Foster to take a 3 point lead.

The Colts still had a little over a minute to try and get the ball in the endzone for the win or at the least field goal range to go into OT. Luck came out firing hitting TE. Dwayne Allen (8 catches 152 yards 2 TDs) up the seam for 32 yards getting across mid field. With plenty of time and almost in FG range Luck continued to hit on some short passes that now had them in lock FG position. With a completion and the clock running down from 17 seconds they hurry to the line to run another play. Hilton crosses the formation and is stopped short of the endzone on the 2 yard line with 2 seconds left and there was a communication error between the sidelines, players and refs that a timeout was not recognized and the game ended with the Colts players confused and the Texans ecstatic that they can sneak out of Indy with a week 1 division win.

This seems to be a great rivalry in the making and with 2 strong minded defensive coaches gibing up more than a combined 1000 yards look for the week 13 matchup to be a low scoring fist fight.